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ClayManiacs.com  |  Archive  |  Media & Appearance Archive  |  11/30/03 SINGER'S NEBRASKA FANS FILL THEIR DAYS WITH CLAY
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Author Topic: 11/30/03 SINGER'S NEBRASKA FANS FILL THEIR DAYS WITH CLAY  (Read 8572 times)

Marilyn

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11/30/03 SINGER'S NEBRASKA FANS FILL THEIR DAYS WITH CLAY
« on: May 15, 2010, 04:53:09 PM »
Pamela
Assistant Webmaster
 SINGER'S NEBRASKA FANS FILL THEIR DAYS WITH CLAY
« on: November 30, 2003, 05:12:13 PM »   

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Singer's Nebraska fans fill their days with Clay
Cindy Lange-Kubick: Column
 
They want me.

I know the Nebraska ClayFans want me because when I went to see them a few weeks ago, they wouldn't let me leave until I had the Clay Aiken "Measure of a Man" CD.
And the new Teen People with the 24-year-old pop star's picture on the cover.

And a Clay Aiken video, although not the 12-hour DVD they cobbled together from concerts and interviews.

And a bottle of candy "pills" to treat "OCD" -- Obsessive Clay Disorder. The same ones they passed out at their Clay Aiken CD Release Party last month.

I know they want me because they show me a Clay column written by another reporter and they say: "We converted her."

And I know what that means: You're next.

And then the kicker, the message the five women in Peggy Hanlon's east Lincoln living room make loud and clear: "We were just like you once."

That means they held jobs and had families and watched very little TV, trashy or otherwise.

In the evening they read books or helped their kids with homework or volunteered at the soup kitchen.

Then, by happenstance or divine intervention, they stumbled across a spiky-haired skinny Southern boy crooning on a TV talent show called "American Idol."

"I saw Clay and I was hooked and that was it," said Sigi Buczkowski, a native of Germany living in Omaha.

That voice.

That look.

That indescribable Clayiscious something.

"I can't put my finger on what it is," says Lisa Kasl, a registered nurse and mother of four who traveled to St. Paul, Minn., to see Clay in concert and has the pictures to prove it. (There's one of Clay's bodyguard. Clay's silver Volvo. Clay with his arm around Lisa herself.)

Her older kids thinks she's nuts.

"Can't you say one sentence without Clay in it?" she says, mimicking them. "They wonder why their mom is acting 15."

The nurse likes the way he speaks out about faith and has a message her whole family can hear.

Sigi sends CDs to her friends in Germany who can't get copies. And somewhere in Iraq, soldiers are listening to "This is the Night" thanks to her.

Becky Raymond keeps a life-sized Clay poster in her bedroom.

"This is so not me at all," the state worker says. "To me, he's a once-in-a-lifetime thing like the Beatles or Elvis."

A great musician, she says, and pretty darn cute to boot.

"I honestly think he's the most gorgeous man ever."

Erin McIntyre's husband wishes his 31-year-old grad student wife would Clay-low with the Aiken obsession.

Peggy's husband, Jim, is happy his 63-year-old sweetie has a hobby, even if it means she surreptitiously rearranges CDs at Wal-Mart to give Clay more face time with the public.

Clay's OK, he says.

"Not as good as Johnny Cash or Willie Nelson, though."

Then Jim heads for the basement and we sit down to look through the 500 pages of Clay copy Lisa has compiled.

Johnny who?

They might stay up for hours chatting online or cruising Clay Web sites, but that's just part of it, the women say.

"It's an amazing network of friends," Becky says.

Becky met Lisa when she was looking for tickets to a Clay concert.

They ended up sitting at the concert together and discovering a Clayminded core of Nebraska Claymates online.

Since then, they've held parties and donated money to the Jerry Lewis Telethon in Clay's name and given more money to his foundation for special needs children.

(And they haven't quit their jobs or neglected their children.)

What's not to like about Clay? Why hasn't everyone Clayverted, they wonder.

Before I leave, when the Nebraska ClayFans give me the Clay CD, they tell me if I don't like it I should "Clay it forward."

You know, give it to someone who appreciates their man.

And later they call. "You won't make us look crazy will you?"

I promise I won't.

Then I tell them to take two candy "pills" and call me in the morning.
 

LINCOLN JOURNAL LINK
ALWAYS AND FOREVER-UNCONDITIONALLY!!!

Marilyn

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Re: 11/30/03 SINGER'S NEBRASKA FANS FILL THEIR DAYS WITH CLAY
« Reply #1 on: May 15, 2010, 04:55:23 PM »
songbird457
Guest
  SINGER'S NEBRASKA FANS FILL THEIR DAYS WITH CLAY
« Reply #1 on: December 01, 2003, 01:18:45 AM »   

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How cute. I think we can say the same for fans in every state. Go Claymates!!!

*Official ODC cheerleader*
 
ALWAYS AND FOREVER-UNCONDITIONALLY!!!

Marilyn

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Re: 11/30/03 SINGER'S NEBRASKA FANS FILL THEIR DAYS WITH CLAY
« Reply #2 on: May 15, 2010, 04:55:47 PM »
mackncsu
SINGER'S NEBRASKA FANS FILL THEIR DAYS WITH CLAY
« Reply #2 on: December 01, 2003, 10:21:58 AM »   

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AWWWW Yeah for the Nebraska Claymates!
ALWAYS AND FOREVER-UNCONDITIONALLY!!!

Marilyn

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Re: 11/30/03 SINGER'S NEBRASKA FANS FILL THEIR DAYS WITH CLAY
« Reply #3 on: May 15, 2010, 04:56:09 PM »
jazzlvr2
Guest
  Nebraska Claymates
« Reply #3 on: December 01, 2003, 11:29:55 AM »   

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I love this---I have to admit I find a lot of myself in this post.   I am also a 50+ woman who is definitely obsessed with Clay.  I too seem to have had my leisure time readjusted.   I used to read more than I do now, watch some TV that wasn't Clay related, and spend a lot less time online.  Now my priorities after my RL obligations are-fullfilled include--checking TV listing so I don't miss any Clay appearances, setting my VCR if I might be gone during a performance, checking Clay websites daily,being a member of 2 online Clay groups, and making numerous trips to the magaizine section of numerous stores  searching for  Clay articles/pictures.   I have discovered magazines I never knew existed ---Popstar, Hits, Teen-- the check out people may think I'm a nice grandmother buying these for my grandchildren---if they only knew! 
  I also have met a great group of people because of Clay.  I look at those with disabilities with more compasion that I did pre-Clay.  Not that I have ever been unkind to them,  but more  it was more a case of not realy giving them much thought.
  My life has changed, but I think it has changed for the better and I thank Clay, my new friends,and all of you for this.
  I keep thinking I can't possibly love Clay anymore than I already do and then he does something like the Nick at Nite song with Bing and I am blown away by this young man's incredible talent.  I read an artlcle and his kindness and wonderful sense of humor reinforce my feelings and off I fly.  lol, DiAnn
 
 
ALWAYS AND FOREVER-UNCONDITIONALLY!!!

Marilyn

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Re: 11/30/03 SINGER'S NEBRASKA FANS FILL THEIR DAYS WITH CLAY
« Reply #4 on: May 15, 2010, 04:57:14 PM »
aiken4clay01
Guest
  SINGER'S NEBRASKA FANS FILL THEIR DAYS WITH CLAY
« Reply #4 on: December 01, 2003, 09:53:45 PM »   

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:D YAY!!! :D  I'm a NE Claymate and we're FINALLY gettin' some representation!  I even e-mailed the local radio station and added the word "Claymate" to their vocabulary and am getting a reputation there as the annoying girl that requests "Invisible" every day (usually more than once). : There was a similar article published in the Omaha World-Herald just prior to the release of MOAM, only the author has been a Clay fan since AI.  If I find it, I'll post it 4 y'all 2 read.
 
ALWAYS AND FOREVER-UNCONDITIONALLY!!!

Marilyn

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Re: 11/30/03 SINGER'S NEBRASKA FANS FILL THEIR DAYS WITH CLAY
« Reply #5 on: May 15, 2010, 04:57:48 PM »
MoMoMom4Clay
Guest
  RE: Nebraska Clay fans newspaper article 2
« Reply #5 on: December 02, 2003, 12:26:15 AM »   

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Once again I'm so surprised to see an article about us posted here!  And on your home page, no less!  The Omaha World Herald article, which ran right before the CD release parties, spent some time on your home page here, and we received so many wonderful and positive responses.  Of course, since we were promoting the CD party at the time, our phone numbers and e-mail addresses were included.  Eeeek.  But like with all things Aiken, it was all good.

I am happy to hear that other fans feel we all share things in common - like with all things Clay taking over our lives!   :   This particular reporter had just a little too much fun at our expense, I must say, but like with all media things I've done locally about Clay (5 radio interviews, 2 TV interviews, 2 newspaper articles), the whole phenomenon of Clay Aiken and his devoted fans just simply astounds the press and they don't quite know how to handle it.  Clay has made similar statements about himself.  So usually snarkiness and teasing are involved.  Ah, we can handle it, right Clay?  8)

The bottom line is that Clay is hotter than anything ever, and media loves to find a local angle.  Last week, a major Omaha radio station's morning DJs spent the better part of 90 minutes on Clay stuff.  It was FANtastic!  You just can't buy that kind of FREE advertising!  A Claynadian friend calls me (lovingly) a media whore for Clay.  Too funny!  It's all about spreading the ClayLove! 

Becky
Lincoln, NE
ALWAYS AND FOREVER-UNCONDITIONALLY!!!

Marilyn

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Re: 11/30/03 SINGER'S NEBRASKA FANS FILL THEIR DAYS WITH CLAY
« Reply #6 on: May 15, 2010, 04:58:40 PM »
ClayDollKit
Guest
  SINGER'S NEBRASKA FANS FILL THEIR DAYS WITH CLAY
« Reply #6 on: December 02, 2003, 02:29:18 AM »   

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Ditto to everything mentioned before my post.  I am closing in on being half a century years of age in a few more years but recently I've been acting like a teenaged schoolgirl.  I squeak with joy when my husband comes home from work with a new purchase, a striped shirt!  I've burned my husband's dinner while busy checking the updates on Clay's media appearances.  Not to mention a bulletin board full of Clay pics by the computer, in the bedroom to boot!!  Yep, I even have a collection of almost four videotapes of Clay from audition to all of his post -competition television appearances.  I even see Clay's features in other people (like my husband for instance).  This is so unlike me cuz I didn't even act bonkers back in high school over a singer or any celebrity!

Clay's singing voice got us all hooked and then came the killer blow, that most charming and caring man possessing that voice!  Without a doubt, Clay has been a long time coming because there is substance to his character and add that spectacular singing vioce, that great American Idols makeover narrative, and well all of this makes me EMOTE!  I think it's time for me to take a double dose of OCD pills!  Thanks to Clay!
ALWAYS AND FOREVER-UNCONDITIONALLY!!!

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